Anirban Lahiri turned in a powerhouse season-ending performance to fire Crushers GC to the 2023 LIV Golf League team championship on a pulsating Sunday in Miami on Sunday. The Crushers had started the season with a win, and closed it out in identical fashion with a few dramatic moments thrown in for good measure.
Led by the power and precision of Bryson DeChambeau and fired by a spectacular bogey-free round from Lahiri, the Crushers beat their closest challengers, the RangeGoats by two shots in the all-scores-count shootout.
Helping was some steady play by Charles Howell III and Paul Casey, who made critical contributions at times the Crushers seemed to be coming under pressure from eventual runners-up Range Goats GC. Torque GC finished third, while defending champion 4Aces GC settled for fourth.
Lahiri was the team’s leading performer at the Trump National Doral course on Sunday with a bogey-free 7-under 65 that included consecutive hole-outs at the par-4 seventh for a birdie and par-5 eighth for eagle.
It was a terrific effort for a player who came within touching distance of winning an individual title in 2023 with two runner-up finishes and another podium result. “I had a couple of Sundays where I let myself down,” Lahiri said later. “But I wasn’t going to let the team down today.”
In the LIV Gold League 2022 season, the Crushers did not reach the team championship final, as they were knocked out in the semi-finals. DeChambeau’s team, however, started the new season with a bang, winning in Mayakoba on the strength of Howell’s individual victory.
DeChambeau found form mid-season winning two individual titles, and the Crushers again topping the team event in Chicago. They completed the journey to the top at Doral’s Blue Monster with a combined 11 under.
“Last year really left a sour taste in our mouth,” DeChambeau said as he celebrated with his teammates. “I can’t be happier with this team of mine. I don’t know what else to say. I’m at a loss of words right now. … These guys are the best.”
DeChambeau was 3 under after the first nine holes and then birdied holes 10 and 11 before dropping his first shot on 12 to kick off a rollercoaster back-nine. He then birdied 13 from 36 feet, bogeyed 14, then birdied 15 from 35 feet.
The biggest drama, however, came on the drivable par-4 16th, with the Crushers’ lead reduced to one stroke. DeChambeau’s tee shot hit the top of the grandstand behind the green and finished on the front edge of the second green. Faced with a blind shot from 109 yards, DeChambeau hit a
wedge back over the grandstand and onto the green, then made the birdie putt to increase the Crushers’ lead to two.
“My drop zone, I was going to drop in a sidehill lie out of the rough over palm trees. It was just not feasible,” DeChambeau said later. “I got a perfect lie in front of the green on 2 … I was like, it's a 109-shot, whatever, let's go. And hit it to 20 feet and made an incredible putt.
“Any time you get a win with a team, I'd say honestly that's more important than individual stuff. “The majors are great but there's a team behind you there. I've got a team, my own team.
“Having the Crushers be front and centre of the first inaugural full season just means the world. We are part of history, and I couldn't be more proud of these guys and definitely takes the sting out of last week. But the team is what it's all about, and I couldn't be more proud.”
Casey followed with a clutch 6-foot par putt on his final hole while the RangeGoats’ Thomas Pieters missed his from similar distance. When the RangeGoats’ 2023 individual season-topper Talor Gooch bogeyed 18 after finding the water with his tee shot, the Crushers had enough in the bank to absorb DeChambeau’s bogey and RangeGoats captain Bubba Watson’s birdie on 18.
DeChambeau carded a 5-under 67, Howell shot a level-par 72 and Casey a 73. “I thought this year would be special,” said Howell. “We started off with a win. Obviously, Baan and Bryson have played phenomenal golf here recently.”
Though the RangeGoats came up short, Watson – who produced a clean 67 – was proud of his team’s effort. “The RangeGoats came out of nowhere,” Watson said. “We played great. We’ve got to improve a little bit. But gosh, finished second for the year. What a great place.”
Final team results
Tier 1 (for first to fourth)
1. Crushers GC (-11): Anirban Lahiri 65, Bryson DeChambeau 67, Charles Howell III 72, Paul Casey 73. Prize money: $14,000,000
2. RangeGoats GC (-9): Bubba Watson 67, Talor Gooch 70, Thomas Pieters 70, Harold Varner III 72. Prize money: $8,000,000
3. Torque GC (-6): Joaquin Niemann 66, David Puig 71, Sebastián Muñoz 72, Mito Pereira 73. Prize money: $6,000,000
4. 4Aces GC (E): Peter Uihlein 69, Patrick Reed 71, Pat Perez 73, Dustin Johnson 75. Prize money: $4,000,000
Tier 2 (semi-final losers)
5. Stinger GC (-7): Dean Burmester 67, Branden Grace 67, Charl Schwartzel 73, Louis Oosthuizen 74. Prize money: $3,250,000
6. Fireballs GC (-4): Carlos Ortiz 64, Eugenio Chacarra 73, Sergio Garcia 73, Abraham Ancer 74. Prize money: $3,000,000
7. Cleeks GC (+4): Martin Kaymer 72, Bernd Wiesberger 72, Richard Bland 74, Graeme McDowell 74. Prize money: $2,750,000
8. HyFlyers GC (+5): Cameron Tringale 70, Brendan Steele 71, Phil Mickelson 72, James Piot 80. Prize money: $2,500,000
Tier 3 (quarter-final losers)
9. Ripper GC (-5): Matt Jones 66, Jediah Morgan 71, Marc Leishman 73, Cameron Smith 73. Prize money: $2,000,000
10. Smash GC (even): Jason Kokrak 69, Brooks Koepka 70, Matthew Wolff 72, Chase Koepka 77. Prize money: $1,750,000
11. Majesticks GC (+4): Henrik Stenson 69, Ian Poulter 72, Lee Westwood 74, Sam Horsfield 77. Prize money: $1,500,000
12. Iron Heads GC (+5): Scott Vincent 70, Danny Lee 71, Kevin Na 73, Sihwan Kim 79. Prize money: $1,250,000